--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If any man would come after me, let him…" description: "\"If any man would come after me, let him deny himself.\" The disciple must say to himself the same words Peter said of Christ when he denied him: \"I know..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbb/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_asceticism_if-any-man-would-come-after-me-let-him-d_2922695.jpg" --- # If any man would come after me, let him deny himself." The… ![“If any man would come after me, let him deny himself." The disciple must say to himself the same words Peter said of Christ when he denied him: "I know not this man." Self-denial is never just a series of isolated acts of mortification or asceticism. It is not suicide, for there is an element of…” quote by Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbb/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_asceticism_if-any-man-would-come-after-me-let-him-d_2922695.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbb/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_asceticism_if-any-man-would-come-after-me-let-him-d_2922695.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbb/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_asceticism_if-any-man-would-come-after-me-let-him-d_2922695.jpg) > “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself." The disciple must say to himself the same words Peter said of Christ when he denied him: "I know not this man." Self-denial is never just a series of isolated acts of mortification or asceticism. It is not suicide, for there is an element of self-will even in that. To deny oneself is to be aware only of Christ and no more of self, to see only him who goes before and no more the road which is too hard for us. Once more, all that self denial can say is: "He leads the way, keep close to him.” [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑denial means focusing entirely on Christ, letting go of personal will and ego. **In simple terms:** Focus on Christ, not self. Key Takeaway Prioritize divine guidance over personal desire. Themes faith self‑denial spirituality Mood contemplative serene Type spiritual theological When to use this quote - prayer - mission work - personal sacrifice - spiritual direction Key Concepts Christian mysticism ego dissolution obedience Questions to Reflect On - How do you discern when self‑denial becomes harmful? - What practices keep you grounded while surrendering? A Different Perspective Self‑denial can become self‑destruction if not balanced with self‑care. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asceticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asceticism/) [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Denial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denial/) [Denial Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denial-say-1787072/) [Deny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deny/) [Deny Disciple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deny-disciple-4267065/) [Deny Oneself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deny-oneself-924744/) [Disciple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disciple/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Isolated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isolated/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mortification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mortification/) [Oneself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oneself/) [Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peter/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self denial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-denial/) [Self Deny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-deny-3567716/) [Suicide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suicide/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [To deny oneself is to be aware only of Christ and no more of self, to see only Him who goes before and no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/to-deny-oneself-is-to-be-aware-only-of-christ-and-no-more-of-self-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“To deny oneself is to be aware only of Christ and no more of self, to see only him who goes before and no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/to-deny-oneself-is-to-be-aware-only-of-christ-and-no-more-of-self-to-2/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“What will you do with your self? Many men and women are still in darkness, trying to figure out the meaning and purpose of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-p-yohannan/what-will-you-do-with-your-self-many-men-and-women-are-still-in/) [K.P. Yohannan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-p-yohannan/) > [We can think of Lent as a time to eradicate evil or cultivate virtue, a time to pull up weeds or to plant good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/we-can-think-of-lent-as-a-time-to-eradicate-evil-or-cultivate-virtue-2/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Also, asceticism is all right when it is the proper means of attaining some special end. It is when it produces eructations of spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleister-crowley/also-asceticism-is-all-right-when-it-is-the-proper-means-of-attaining/) [Aleister Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleister-crowley/) > [Denial,they say, stands for"Don't even notice I am lying." Human beings are the only animals who are happily lied to by our own minds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-millan/denial-they-say-stands-for-don-t-even-notice-i-am-lying-human-beings/) [Cesar Millan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-millan/) > [It doesn't matter if the truth is right there out in front of your eyes. You will find a way, a mechanism, in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/it-doesn-t-matter-if-the-truth-is-right-there-out-in-front-of-your/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [Who wants to do good in this world must deny oneself. A man does not live on this Earth to be happy or to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-stone/who-wants-to-do-good-in-this-world-must-deny-oneself-a-man-does-not/) [Irving Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-stone/) > [“To explode or to implode - said Qwfwq - that is the question: whether 'tis nobler in the mind to expand one's energies in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italo-calvino/to-explode-or-to-implode-said-qwfwq-that-is-the-question-whether-tis/) [Italo Calvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italo-calvino/) > [The first duty of a Christian, of a disciple and follower of Jesus Christ, is to deny himself. To deny oneself means to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-of-alaska/the-first-duty-of-a-christian-of-a-disciple-and-follower-of-jesus/) [Innocent of Alaska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innocent-of-alaska/) > [“There is always a danger that in our asceticism we shall be tempted to imitate the sufferings of Christ. This is a pious but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/there-is-always-a-danger-that-in-our-asceticism-we-shall-be-tempted/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [If there is no element of asceticism in our lives, if we give free rein to the desires of the flesh (taking care of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/if-there-is-no-element-of-asceticism-in-our-lives-if-we-give-free/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [It is my greatest misfortune to be too lazy, and by the few mortifications I have already set with on that account I predict…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-allston/it-is-my-greatest-misfortune-to-be-too-lazy-and-by-the-few/) [Washington Allston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-allston/) > [Let a man neither give himself over to pleasures ... nor yet let him give himself over to self-mortification ... To the exclusion of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/let-a-man-neither-give-himself-over-to-pleasures-nor-yet-let-him-give/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Every acknowledgment of gratitude is a circumstance of humiliation; and some are found to submit to frequent mortifications of this kind, proclaiming what obligations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/every-acknowledgment-of-gratitude-is-a-circumstance-of-humiliation/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) ## More by Dietrich Bonhoeffer > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Why do Christians sing when they are together? The reason is, quite simply, because in singing together it is possible for them to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/why-do-christians-sing-when-they-are-together-the-reason-is-quite/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [...Gratitude transforms the torment of memory of good things now gone into silent joy. One bears what was lovely in the past not as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/gratitude-transforms-the-torment-of-memory-of-good-things-now-gone/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Only he who believes is obedient and only he who is obedient believes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/only-he-who-believes-is-obedient-and-only-he-who-is-obedient-believes/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Who can really be faithful in great things if he has not learned to be faithful in the things of daily life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/who-can-really-be-faithful-in-great-things-if-he-has-not-learned-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“The church can only defend its own space by fighting, not for space, but for the salvation of the world. Otherwise the church becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/the-church-can-only-defend-its-own-space-by-fighting-not-for-space/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [There remains an experience of incomparable value . . . to see the great events of world history from below; from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/there-remains-an-experience-of-incomparable-value-to-see-the-great/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“To endure the cross is not a tragedy; it is the suffering which is the fruit of an exclusive allegiance to Jesus Christ. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/to-endure-the-cross-is-not-a-tragedy-it-is-the-suffering-which-is-the/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“There is only one church, the church of faith ruled by the word of Jesus Christ alone. This is the true catholic church that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/there-is-only-one-church-the-church-of-faith-ruled-by-the-word-of/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“As Christians, we needn’t be at all ashamed of some impatience, longing, opposition to what is unnatural, and our full share of desire for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/as-christians-we-needn-t-be-at-all-ashamed-of-some-impatience-longing/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Those who love their dream of a Christian community more than the Christian community itself become destroyers of that Christian community even though their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/those-who-love-their-dream-of-a-christian-community-more-than-the/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“From now on there can be no more wars of faith. The only way to overcome our enemy is by loving him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/from-now-on-there-can-be-no-more-wars-of-faith-the-only-way-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“The scriptures do not present us with a series of Christian types to be imitated according to choice; they preach to us in every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/the-scriptures-do-not-present-us-with-a-series-of-christian-types-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we are to drive a spoke into the wheel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/we-are-not-to-simply-bandage-the-wounds-of-victims-beneath-the-wheels/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) [Explore all 711 Dietrich Bonhoeffer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) ## More Asceticism quotes > [The religion of art, like the religion of politics, was born from the ruins of Christianity. Art inherited from the old religion the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/the-religion-of-art-like-the-religion-of-politics-was-born-from-the/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Fie on the eloquence that leaves us craving itself, not things!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/fie-on-the-eloquence-that-leaves-us-craving-itself-not-things/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The beauty of a cuckoo is in its notes, that of a woman in her unalloyed devotion to her husband, that of an ugly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/the-beauty-of-a-cuckoo-is-in-its-notes-that-of-a-woman-in-her/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The principle of asceticism never was, nor ever can be, consistently pursued by any living creature. Let but one tenth part of the inhabitants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-bentham/the-principle-of-asceticism-never-was-nor-ever-can-be-consistently/) [Jeremy Bentham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-bentham/) > [“In his treatise on the battles between the gods underlying ancient Dionysian theatre, the young Nietzsche notes: 'Alas! The magic of these struggles is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sloterdijk/in-his-treatise-on-the-battles-between-the-gods-underlying-ancient/) [Peter Sloterdijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sloterdijk/) > [Catholicism is not ritualism; it may in the future be fighting some sort of superstitious and idolatrous exaggeration of ritual. Catholicism is not asceticism;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/catholicism-is-not-ritualism-it-may-in-the-future-be-fighting-some/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [“A Christian who practices asceticism trains himself to say no to his desires and yes to God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-dreher/a-christian-who-practices-asceticism-trains-himself-to-say-no-to-his/) [Rod Dreher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-dreher/) > [The main motive for nonattachment is a desire to escape from the pain of living, and above all from love, which, sexual or non-sexual,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/the-main-motive-for-nonattachment-is-a-desire-to-escape-from-the-pain/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Dieting is our last tie with asceticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/dieting-is-our-last-tie-with-asceticism/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [When you reach your sixties, you have to decide whether you're going to be a sot or an ascetic. In other words if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/when-you-reach-your-sixties-you-have-to-decide-whether-you-re-going/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [Everybody who does not live in a prostitute's bed and on a diet of cocaine snow is called an ascetic nowadays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/everybody-who-does-not-live-in-a-prostitute-s-bed-and-on-a-diet-of/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Genuine asceticism for finding one's own soul and for the good of humanity is worthy of reverence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rama-swami/genuine-asceticism-for-finding-one-s-own-soul-and-for-the-good-of/) [Rama Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rama-swami/) > [Many modern scholars have found the asceticism expressed in Plato unacceptable; it does not sound like the advice of a reasonable man in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mcevilley/many-modern-scholars-have-found-the-asceticism-expressed-in-plato/) [Thomas McEvilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mcevilley/) > [The dunyâ distracts and preoccupies the heart and body, but al-zuhd (asceticism, not giving importance to worldly things) gives rest to the heart and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hasan-of-basra/the-duny-distracts-and-preoccupies-the-heart-and-body-but-al-zuhd/) [Hasan of Basra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hasan-of-basra/) > [Asceticism is the right way of thinking for those who have to extirpate their sensual drives because they are ravening beasts of prey. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/asceticism-is-the-right-way-of-thinking-for-those-who-have-to/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) [Browse all 113 Asceticism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asceticism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself.\" The disciple must say to himself the same words Peter said of Christ when he denied him: \"I know not this man.\" Self-denial is never just a series of isolated acts of mortification or asceticism. It is not suicide, for there is an element of self-will even in that. To deny oneself is to be aware only of Christ and no more of self, to see only him who goes before and no more the road which is too hard for us. Once more, all that self denial can say is: \"He leads the way, keep close to him.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dietrich Bonhoeffer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/if-any-man-would-come-after-me-let-him-deny-himself-the-disciple-must/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Asceticism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/if-any-man-would-come-after-me-let-him-deny-himself-the-disciple-must/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbb/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_asceticism_if-any-man-would-come-after-me-let-him-d_2922695.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbb/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_asceticism_if-any-man-would-come-after-me-let-him-d_2922695.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbb/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_asceticism_if-any-man-would-come-after-me-let-him-d_2922695.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If any man would come after me, let him deny himself.\" The disciple must say to himself the same words Peter…” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dietrich Bonhoeffer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If any man would come after...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/if-any-man-would-come-after-me-let-him-deny-himself-the-disciple-must/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/if-any-man-would-come-after-me-let-him-deny-himself-the-disciple-must/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```